Expert: Sam Preisler - 11/2/2007

Question
I cannot find a more appropriate group to ask this question. If I have picked you by mistake, can you advise accordingly please?

I have a very old concrete batching plant with weight sensors wired up and produces ONLY printed reports in a dot matrix printer. Is it possible for us to turn the output data to printer as input data to a new PC so that we can keep the data in a text file please?

Answer
Yes it is possible.  Most of the dot matrix printers use a serial (Synchronous) communications port or a parallel (Asynchronous) communications port.  first you need to determine which is being used and then trap the information using a GPIB (general purpose interface bus) device at the port electronically or collected it in a batch report before it is sent to the printer.  another more difficult way to do this is to actually get an infared radio device and capture it from the printer.  I actually have some experience in this area with a incinerator system, it used thermal printers.  

One question i would have for you is - Does the manufacture of the equipment still support your installation, are they still in business, and could we get access to the system design?

you can respond back to me privately at sam@preisler.us

I have 20 years experience in IT doing QA and systems design.

contact me at sam@preisler.us if needed